Born Free Die Free
by snow-white-fairest-one-of-all
Summary: "I was born free in Hillwood City of the Great Empire. But at age eighteen that all changed. At the age of eighteen I was thrown into a world of riches, royalty, and horrors. This my story. The story of how I transformed from slave to warrior." Rated M just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

I was a young boy when the world went to war. So I was still able to recall the way it was before the cahos and terror washed over our land like a plauge. There was freedom, happiness, and love. Now there is only destruction. As I sit in the back of this cart I am reminded of these times. I hold the bars of my prison and stare out at the bearly empty roads longing for the time where I would have been able to live out my days happily. Able to be whatever I wanted to make myself into.

Now I sit here in this cart. My hands bound together with a thick leather rope that scratched against my skin rubbing it raw. The life I once led destroyed and forged in this crucible of terror and power into the life of a slave. A slave to the very man who threw my once prosperous future back into the dark ages. I sighed and looked up at the high noon sun trying to figure out how I got myself into this mess in the first place. Oh yes I remember now.

My village had been untouched and unscathed in the war. As a prosperous town of farming and fishing it was left unscathed and it's people unharmed. And for a while it remained so. I was just a lad of nine when the troops came storming in taking over every man's business and taking all it's wealth. They left us alive and our town standing but they reaped all they could from the people. Eventually as time wore on our towns riches ran dry and we were forced into slavery. The rich controling the poor and selling them off to remain in a good position. At eighteen, being resonably poor, I was sold to the Emperor himself. For what purpose I had yet to learn.

I sighed and the driver looked over his shoulder at me a pitying look on his face. "You all right back there boy. Can't have you dying before we reach the city."

A dry smile twisted my cracked lips and I shimmied over to stand behind him. "And just how much longer until we do reach the city sir?" I asked polietly. I had always been a polite boy. My grandfather said I was too nice for my own good. That one of these days my good nature was what was going to get me killed.

The man chuckled "Not much farther. See that hill there?" he asked stretching out a bony finger to point at the horizon. "Just past that hill and the city gates are buy a stone throw away. You shall be put to work in no time."

"Oh how you tease me." I joked throwing myself back to the ground.

We continued our journey in silence and when we had reached the city he turned to look at me as he drove the cart to it's final destination, the palace of the emporer. "I'm sorry for this." he said in a low somber voice "I wish it were different. That I could just let you be free. The God's bless you boy."

"The same to you sir." I said my eyebrows raising. No man before had shown the least bit of sympathy to people like me. Then I had never met many people who weren't warriors for the Emporer. As he opened the cage and let me out he caight my arm and pulled me in close. I bowed my head and he put his lips to my ear and muttered "Natus die Libero."

I frowned. What a strange saying. "Born free...Die free..." I whispered. He pulled away and put a finger to his lips.

"This be the only boy?" a gaurd asked coming down the steps to greet us.

"This is the only boy they gave me." the man said bowing low and kneeling. I bedated on weither to do the same but chose to stand. There was nothing more that they could do to me now.

"You're fee!" the gaurd snarled throwing a small leather pouch at his feet "I will inform the Emperor of your delivery, Bartlett, you may make your way to the arena. Your family is waiting there to welcome you home."

A look of relief washed over the man's face and he nodded. I looked at him and gave him a small smile. The man's eyes blazed like blue fire and he gave me a soft nod as well before jumping in his cart and taking off.

The gaurd watched him go before he turned his attention to me looking me over carefully as if I was a peice of meat. He poked and prodded me like cattle and gave appreciative noises for everything he found acceptable and clucks of his tongue for things he disproved of.

"Yes," he said finally "you will do nicely."

"DO?" I thought "Do what exactly?"

"You have a name boy?" he asked acknowledging me as a person for the first time since my arrival.

I nodded but didn't speak until I say the expectant look in his eyes. "Arnold...my name is Arnold.


	2. Chapter 2

THe gaurd led me through a series of tunnels underneath the palace. The dark dirt pathway, held up by sturdy looking wooden bridging, was dimly lit by torches handing in brackets on the sides. I kept silent trying to desipher the racket that was coming from the quickly approaching mouth of the tunnel.

"Turn left boy!" the gaurd said the point of his sword digging into the small of my back drawing tiny droplets of blood. I hissed but turned to the left down another pathway my ears straining for anything. However I was soon submerced in sound as this tunnel opened up into a sort of courtyard.

It's tall brick walls closed in on the two sides of broken, paved square. Weeds peeked up in the tiny cracks of the brick. The opening across from me was in a similar style to the one I was at. Gated with heavy iron. The bars were pressed so tightly together that not even my hand could squeeze past. Inside there were five men all crowded against the opposite gates shouting and rattling the bars. I instictivly shrank back at the nosie but was pushed inside as soon as the gaurd opened the gate just enough for me to slip past. 

"Have fun." he said grinning sinisterly slamming the gate behind me. I turned wildly and made to approach the gate he had locked when new voices came to my ears.

"Fresh meat." a low voice grumbled in a tone that was anything but welcoming.

I turned slowly to find all eyes turned, save for one man, on me. Their shouting match abandoned. I stared at them with wide eyes. They couldn't have been much older than I was but they were bigger. They had muscles I didn't even know existed and they rippled with every movement they made.

"What's your name?" the one who had spoken first asked. He was on the shorter side and widely built. His shirt was too small and ripped revealing a set of abs that looked like they were carved of stone. The sun shone off of his clean shaved head and only made his grim looking face look even more menacing.

"A...Arnold" I said trying not to show how terrified I actually was. "My name is Arnold."

Another boy, taller than all the rest with a nose reminescent of a finches beak stepped forward leaning slightly on the first one's shoulder "Arnold...I don't like it...seems a little too...oh what's the word...ordinary for me. What do you think Harold?"

The first boy grinned and nodded his agreement and smirked. "I think you're right there Stinky. I think we ought to do something about that."

"Oh stop it you two!" laughed a third pushing the two out of the way with his built arms the color of chocolate bricks. His kind eyes narrowed at the two playfully and he made his way over to me and slung an arm around my shoulders "Can't you see your scaring the kid?"

"I'm not scared." I said indgnantly throwing the strangers arm off of him.

"Whoa there brother." the boy smiled holding his hands up in surrender and chuckling warmly "No need to be defensive. We're all scared here. So there is no reason to pretend to be brave anyway."

My angry expression melted as the other boys nodded their assent and smiled at him. I nodded back and looked at the dark skinned boy. "I suppose so."

The boy smiled again and held out his hand to him "Names Gerald" he smiled "You already met Harold the horrible and Stinky there. That over there is Curly." he said pointing out a mad looking boy who was convulsing slightly hanging onto the bars of the gate and shaking them angrily "He's kind of aggressive during the games so watch out for him. He won't hurt you but be careful he can't control himself sometimes. And that there is Brainy..we call him that because once upon a time he was a great scholar." Brainy was a serene looking blonde boy with electric blue eyes that were gazing worridly out of the gates. He fliched as his name was mentioned but made no movement to greet me.

"Hell Raiser is getting torn up out there!" he muttered slamming a fist against the bars. Gerald's brows creased and he motioned for Arnold to follow as he apporached the gates.

"Who's the opponent?" he asked sitting on the ground and patting the dirt besides him.

I hesitantly apporached and sat down next to him. Outside these gates was a huge arena. The arena the gaurds had been talking about when he first arrived. A huge circular audotorium that was surrounded by millions of viewers cheering and cat calling from stands set fifteen feet above the ground where two figures circled around each other.

"Fenniker." Brainy growled "the new one..."

Gerald groaned and put a hand to his head "I take it they didn't take the time to explain the fucking deal with him huh?"

"Doesn't look like it."

I watched in horror as the man clad in the shining silver armor hacked mercilessly at the man in the bronze armor who was currently blocking the blows with the shield from the ground. Each pang of metal on metal echoed around the arena and made me flinch. So this is what he was to do? A Gladiator? To kill people for the amusment of others?

The silver warrior who he assumed with Fenniker swung hard at the one they called Hell Raiser. So hard that the ax he wielded stuck in the ground and wouldn't emerge just long enough for Hell Raiser to stand. Hell raiser swung his sword and slammed the side of his sword into the other's helmet. Fenniker staggared staggard and made a sloppy movemt with his sword.

it sliced through the air and came down on Hell raiser's slender but toned arm spraying blood on the white sand. Hel Raiser yelled out and clutched at his arm in pain. Big mistake. Fenniker saw this as his chance and thrust his ax against the bleeding warriors helmet knocking it off of his head.

Long tendrils of gold blonde hair tumbled down falling in curtains around a heart shaped face. Bright blue eyes sent shivers down Arnold's spine as he witness the rage and pain surge through them. Fenniker must have felt it too as he stumbled backwards his Ax raised above his head. Hel raiser raised his...no her sword and twirled in experimentally in her hand before slashing it around successfully hitting the man and gouging a huge chunck out of his leather armor. She slashed again pushing him even further backwards this time reaping flesh. Blood peppered her tanned skin and splashed across her face like war paint. She hit the man's hand hard with the flat of her blade causing his ax to skitter away across the floor. She kicked at the man sending him this knees. Only then did she lower her sword. She brought up her knee lifting her leather skirt slightly to reveal legs that went on for miles and she smashed his face against her knee cap showering her in blood once again. The man fell to ground with a groan and Helga backed away. The crowd cheered and shouted loudly pleading for her to finish her job and kill the man. But she only scowled and looked upwards at the balcony where the Emperor was resting. His deep purple robes standing out like a candle burning in total darkness amongst a sea of white. His queen besides his in an elegant dress the color of wine. The emporor stood, his expression one of sadistic satisfaction. He stepped forward till he was at the very edge of the balcony and he stood dramatically taking in all of the screams and jeers before lifting his hand making a fist. He paused for a few seconds before pointing his thumb downwards causing the screams to resume louder than before. The men around me groaned and looked down at their sandled feel shaking their heads.

"What does that mean?" I breathed

"It means..."Gerald said sounding like he was choking back bile rising in his throat. "She needs to finish the job. She needs to kill him."

I closed his eyes for a brief moment commanding the tears to retreat. My hands shook violently as he saw the blonde girl approach the man on the floor. She looked at him and then back up at the balcony. With a smirk she dropped her sword down besides the man and turned away. A furious roar rumbled through the arena. Disappointed faces all glared a the girl and the Emporer's face turned from a gloating smirk to anger. But as quickly as it came it dissappeared and he flicked his hand lazily.

Hell Raiser came to a halt suddenly her eyes wide and soon I realized why. Gaurds stepped out of the shadows their swords ready at their sides. Two of the stalked towards her and pushed her back the center of the arena once more. They pushed her down to her knees in front of the man and drew their swords.

Brainy lurched slightly and turned away muttering something about letting him know when it was over. I wanted to look away as well but he found it impossible. The strength and anger that radiated from her eyes was too hypnotizing to look away. The Emporer's sick smile appeared again and he held up his arm straight into the air.

"I can't watch." Harold said turning and walking to Brainy who he pulled into a hug.

The gaurds readied their swords and the girl bent her head down low. The Emporer smirked again and swung his hand down. The boys all turned their heads and groaned loudly as a sickening smack sounded followed by the sound of blood pouring from a wound. They all waited a moment before meekly peeking back at the arena. Gerald was the first to look at it fully and when he breathed out a sigh of relief the others followed suit. The girl was unharmed but covered from head to toe in blood, staring open mouthed at the now headless man before her. She looked up at the Emerpor who made a gesture with his hands.

The gaurds hauled the girl up by her arms and dragged her towards them shouting at the boys to step away as they threw her inside. She fell against the bricks scrapping her flesh but she made no move to stand as they locked the door behind her.

As soon as they were out of sight Gerald ran to her and stooped down besides her. "Brainy go get some water and bring it here." he commanded. Brainy, who's color had drained, nodded numbly and ran off promptly.

Gerald lay down besides the girl face down and whispered to her gently. The girl began to shake gently and Arnold could swear he heard sobbs come from her. Gerlad nodded and shhhhed her running a hand over her golden locks making them look even darker. Brainy returned with a bucket, roughly sewn from wood, and a spotted cloth that looked like it had been torn from Harold's shirt and handed them to Gerald.

Gerald picked the girl up and sat her up on the floor. The girl suddered and thrashed about apparently having some sort of episode and Curly ran forward trying to calm her down. He took her face between his hands but she only shook him off screaming and kicking.

I had seen this kind of fit before. Women in my village often did it after they witnessed a public flogging or when they had been told their children were to be sold into slaver. I quickly stooped down and placed my arms around the girl taking hold of her wrists and whispering into her hair. "Calm down..." I said in the most soothing voice I coul muster "It's okay let it all out...it's okay."

After about ten minutes of soothing she finally relaxed in my arms and allowed Gerald to clean her of the blood that covered her. After she was clean I released her and stepped back so that her friends could take their places besides her.

"Yeah, yeah back up you bunch of sissy's." She said pushing them off of her. For such a slender thing she really was very strong "I'm fine! I was just...shocked okay. You try having a man's blood spilt right in front of you like that. You lot won't be a pretty sight either."

She turned to me her blue eyes flashing even in the setting sun. They softened slightly as she looked me over "What's your name boy?" she asked flipping her blonde tresses out of her eyes.

"Arnold." I breathed

"Well Arnold," she said a smirk twisting her mouth "I'm Helga. Welcome to hell."


	3. Chapter 3

*I am going to continue this story in third person because it's easier that way. Okay? Okay! :)

"So you are all forced to fight each other for scraps?" Arnold asked hardly believing it possible

"Yup." Helga said sharpening her swprd as they sat by a blazing fire keeping them warm amidst the cold night air. "Just barely enough to live on."

"Usually we don't kill." Gerald said taking in Arnold's horrified look. He gave him a weary glance and it was only then ARnold noticed that he felt like he was going to faint. "We have a deal with the other camp. WE fight until the Emperor gets bored and then calls off the fight. That way both of us live."

"Wouldn't he just kill you both?" Arnold asked

Curly laughed throwing his head back with scornful humor "Not unless he wants to scower the whole country side for a man strong enough to fight in these games."

"Or woman." Helga growled

"Or woman." he agreed with a little smile "The point is that his subjects are scrawny and weak. He can barely scrape up one or two fighters every three months. Soon he will have killed them all off."

"So you lot fight until he gets tired?" Arnold confirmed

"You got it cap." Brainy said jabbing his spear experimentally in the air. His mild temperment replaced by a sudden burst of rage "And no one cared to inform our little friend this afternoon. He's a new fella. Came in the day before you, Arnold."

"They told him." Helga whispered turnin her gaze to the fire.

"What?" Gerald said "They told him? BUt he...he came after you."

"He was scared." Helga said blinking rapidly "He must have thoiught what Arnold did. That if he didn't kill me then the Emporer would kill us both. He kept saying he was sorry."

The group was silent and remained so until the gate creaked open. In stepped a timid looking girl. She carried a small tray with food scattered around it. Gerald smiled at her and stood helping taking the tray from her.

"Hey Phoebe." he said winking at her causing her to blush prettily.

"Hello Pheebs." The rest chimed

"Good evening you guys?" she said polietly, her voice nearly as fragile as she seemed to be. "How are you all today?"

She asked to the group in general but her eyes were fixed on Helga who looked up with a small smile "I'm fine Phoebe."

She gave her a look but nodded her head and turned to me. "You must be Arnold."

"Yeah, I am." he said shocked grabbing her outstretched hand "HOw did you know?"

"My lady has connections." Gerald said smiling scooting over so that she could sit besides him.

"I am the Queen's lady in waiting so to speak." she said blushing sitting besides Gerald.

"How is the Queen." Curly asked

Phoebe smiled and gave him a sympathetic look "She's as miserable as ever Thaddeus. She's just trying to survive."

Curly nodded and looked away back at the fire. I looked at Gerald and he gave me a look that suggested that he would tell me later.

"Did you see the match today or hear it?" Helga asked breaking the tension that hung in the air like a poisonus cloud.

"I saw bits of it but I admit I had to turn away. The sight was far to gruesome for me."

Helga smiled and nodded "GOod I didn't want you seeing something like that."

"Visiting Time is OVER!" the gaurd shouted waving over to Phoebe bidding her forward. Phoebe sighed and looked them all over giving them a smile.

"Well, until next time you guys." she got up and Gerald got up with her walking her to the gate.

"Well we all better hit the hay! I nearly got slaughtered out there we will have to go over some drills tomorrow and train up Football Head here." she said jabbing a thumb at Arnold.

ARnold frowned and mulled over the new nickname he had just recieved. However he didn't plan on fighting her on it. He had seen what she could do and he never fought a day in his life before.

"Football head?" Gerald asked coming back over to them. His nose wrinkled and he shook his head "I don't like it."

The boys murmered their agreement and looked to Helga who just smiled at them "Good you morons 'cause only I'm allowed to call him that." she said looking at Arnold and winking. "Get some sleep losers we are in for a big day of blood and pain tomorrow. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," the echoed. They all made way to their cots and Gerald took Arnold and laid a spare one down besides his own.

"So, " he said in a light and airy tone. "What do you think of our little family here?"

"It's umm...interesting." he said looking around to make sure that no one was listening in to their conversations.

Gerald snickered and he nodded "Yeah these guys are a little on the funny side you can thank our pasts for that. We are all different shades of fucked up. All for differnet reasons."

Arnold looked him in the eyes silently begging him to let him know what he was dealing with and luckily for him Gerald obliged.

"Curly was taken from a village that was forty miles from here. The Emporer felt like they were a threat to him because it was famous for its weapons they produced. SO he had it destroyed and most of their people were killed. They all fought back and were killed. Curly is the only survivor...he and his...and his wife."

"The Queen." Arnold whispered remembering how Curly had looked when Phoebe had mentioned the Queen and his concern about her.

"Yeah Rhonda." Gerald said "She was going to be a warrior, like us, but then the Emporer took a fancy to her. Told her that if she chose to be his wife than she could escape her fate. She wasn't going to. She was going to stay with us but Curly wouldn't let her. Told her that she should go and be safe. THat if he was going to die he wanted to make sure that she was taken care of. So she did as he asked. She's not happy about it, but she's safe."

Arnold nodded and waited for Gerald to continue. Gerald pointed to Brainy who was tossing slightly on his cot "Brainy was a scholar in the same village where Helga grew up. He dabbled in anything and everything. Anyway he was on his way to the city to study with someone or another and before he reached the gates he was captured and thrown in here.

Stiny and Harold were much like Curly. Their whole village destroyed. Their friend Sid died on the way here. Tried to run from the gaurds and was speared through. "

"What about you?" Arnold asked looking shyly up at him "What's your story."

"My story?' Gerald laughed arching a brow "Well it's nothing fancy. I was travling. Stupid to do in these times I know. But my sister was sick and dying and I was travling from village to village to find someone who could cure her. I stumbled into a town about a hundred miles from here. Apparently I stumbled into the wrong town. They didn't take well to the color of my skin. Picked a fight with me. Tried to kill me, so I did the only thing that I could do. I fought back. Fended them off. Next thing I knew the Emporers recruiters were all over me telling me that if I came and worked for them my sister would get the help she needed. I never knew if they kept their promises or not. But I highly doubt it."

Arnold let it sink in feeling his gut wretch as he thought about Gerald's poor sick little sister. He looked away and his eyes immediently landed on the blonde girl who was tossing and turning. Her face illuminated by the still burning fire.

"What about her?" he asked "What's her story."

Gerald looked over at Helga and gave a sad sigh "Parents sold her. Her and her lady's maid. That's Pheebs. Her father was a preator, head honcho, of her town. He was owed a debt to one of the gaurds and in order to keep his status he had to pay up. So he offered her." he looked up at Arnold his eyes hard and cold "I know what your thinking. Why would he sell his daughter to fight in a place like this. Well that wasn't what he thought she would be doing, if you get what i'm saying."

Arnold felt something flare inside his chest. He may have just met her but he knew she couldn't have done anything to deserve that "He sold her to be a...to be a..." he gulped

Gerald nodded and rested back on his pallet trying to get comfortable. "The poor girl was so frightened. The first night she was here she ended up killing two gaurds who tried to have their way with her and Phoebe. Nearly made it out of the city when she was captured by the Emporer himself. He made a deal with her. She would return and he wouldn't kill them. She would be a warrior and Phoebe would be a servant. She made him swear that nobody would touch her. So he placed her with the Queen. She knew she was safe then."

Arnold's mind was reeling. These people had already been through so much. So much death and torture and yet here they were subjected to it once more.

"Well we better get to sleep." Gerald said yawning "We will have to have our wits about us tomorrow. You probably won't have to fight tomorrow but it's best to be as prepared as you can. Get some sleep my man."

"Yeah, sleep." Arnold said lying down

He stared up at the sky and thought about what tomorrow would hold for him.

"You're going to be alright pal," Gerald said his voice heavy with sleep "Don't worry we'll protect you."

Arnold nodded and drifted off into an uneasy sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Combat training was one of the hardest things that Arnold had ever done in his whole life. Sweat poured out of his pores in floods and by the time the sun set he was so weak he couldn't stand without the support of Brainy and Gerald. Helga meant it when she said that she wasn't going to go easy on him. She nearly beat him into mud as she furiously slashed and bashed at him. He knew it was for his own good, but the small gash in his arm still burned with his sweat.

When Phoebe came in with the scraps of food she rushed forward setting the tray down and took up his arm forcefully.

"Wow, she's strong." He thought as the force of her action nearly knocked him off his seat."

"Helga! What did you do to the poor kid?" she asked looking over at the blonde.

Helga looked over the small girl with wide eyes and open mouth "What makes you think that it was me that did it?" Phoebe gave her a looked and Helga cracked a grin "Okay yeah it was me, but the kid had to learn Phoebe. It's learn now or die later."

"She's right babe," Gerald said slinging an arm around her shoulders and kissing the top of her head gently "If he doesn't learn how to block and dodge now that big head of his is as good as gone."

Arnold tried not to shake and show his fear. It wasn't so much that the fact that they were talking about his possible decapitation, that he had come to expect. No what scared him more was the fact that they mentioned the fact as casually as they would mention the weather.

"Any news from the palace?" Curly asked in the curiously

"The queen asked me to give you this." Phoebe said untangling a small roll of parchment from her braid and slipping it almost unnoticeably into his hands. "She is a little stressed at the moment I am afraid. WE have been given word that the daughter of a Praetor from Hillwood City will be brought to the palace and trained as the queen's lady in waiting."

"In other words she is going to be the emperors play thing." Helga said with a touch of disgust in her voice "I almost feel sorry for the girl."

"Almost?" Gerald laughed

Helga smirked and tossed her hair from the left side of her face where a thin but jagged scar ran down her jaw line. Arnold gaped at it and wondered to himself how something so horrible could look so beautiful on the girl. "She could have at least tried to fight her way out I did."

"We don't all have your strength." Brainy said ruffling the blonde's hair. The men laughed heartily and drank deeply from their tankards.

"So when's our next fight?" Harold asked

"Tomorrow morning around ten." Phoebe said standing up "Which brings me to our next order of business."

They all leaned in curiously and she broke into a small smile. "The new lady in waiting will be arriving tomorrow and the emperor wants to make sure we give a good first impression. So tonight you will be allowed to go to the baths."

A little cheer sounded from the group and they all stood when Phoebe motioned for them to follow. Arnold stayed put in his seat a blush creeping up his neck. The only baths Phoebe could possibly be talking about were in the Tower. A very public tower at that.

"What's the matter newbie?" Harold teased looking over his shoulder at him "scared of a little nudity."

Arnold blushed furiously and looked down at his feet. He wasn't such a shy guy, after all he bathed in the bath houses back home all the time. But the thought of bathing in front of this band of intimidating people, particularly a certain blonde, seemed too daunting a task. He would rather be thrown into the arena at that moment.

He was shaken out of his thoughts when a small hand clasped his own and tugged playfully. Her blue eyes were shining with mischief and her barely there smile sent his heart into a frenzy "Don't worry Football Head, I'll be right beside ya' the whole time."

His eyes widened at the implication in her voice and some of the boys behind him whistled and the others simply muttered incoherently. She pulled him out the gates and looped her arm around his. "Are you coming or not boys?" She shouted behind her.

The rest all looked at each other and chuckled. Things were going to get very interesting for the newbie.

*I know it is has been over a year I believe. Holy crap! And I wish I could say I have a good excuse but really I was just suffering from writers block and working my ass off at work. Which worked seeing as I got two promotions in less than a year! Anyway I will try to update within the next two weeks but no promises. Enjoy this chapter and don't forget to comment.


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